Phonograph repeater



June 24 E'. T, SWEIGART PHONOGRAPH REPEAT- Ea 2 Sheets-Sheen- 1 Filed may l. 192 5x01, l

June 24 1924. i,1,498,7-0Qv F. T, swg'lGART PHoNoGRAPH RBPEATER heets-Shget 2 Patented June 24, 1924.

'FRANK T. SWEIGART, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

'I-ONOGRAP- REPEATER.

Appunti@ inea May 1, 1920. serial No. 378,075.

To alla/:720m t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK T. SWEIGART, a citizen of the United States:y residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ot' illinois, have invented a certain new and useful improvement in phonograph Repeaters (Case 1). of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact descri'ptiomv reference being had to the accompanying drawings. forming a part of this specification,

y My invention relates to improvements in phonograph repeaters, and is especially concerned with the provision 'of means whereby an ordinary disk record can be repeatedly played with substantially no delay between the reproductions.

The objects of my invention are:

ist. To provide a repeating mechanism which is entirely automatic in its operation.

2nd. To provide a repeating mechanism comprising two reproducers and means for alternately bringing these reproducers into the proper co-acting relation with the beginning of the sound groove in a phonograph record, whereby the record can be repeatedly reproduced without interruption.

3rd. To provide a repeating mechanism of the character described which can be quickly and easily adjusted to repeat records of any size; and

Y 14th. To provide a repeating mechanism of the character described which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, easy to operate and reliable.

l Other objects will appear as this description progresses, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a phonograph embodying my repeating' mechanism, portions thereot being broken away showing one of the reproducers in contact with the record;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view showing the positionof certain portions of the mechanism when the other reproducer is in contact with the record;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of my improved mechanism; p

Figure l is an enlarged sectional detail, portions o t the mechanismbeing broken away;

Figure 45 is a vertical, transverse section taken on line' 54-5 of Figure 1 Figure 6 is a horizontal Vsection taken substantially on liney 6-6 of Figure 4;;

Figure 7 is a plan View showing a modified embodiment of my invention; and

Figure 8 is a side elevationof one of the reproducers used in the construction shown in Figure 7. Y

Referring for the present to Figures 1 to 6, inclusive,tbe reference character 10 indicates the motor board of a phonograph which may be of any desired construction and upon which is rotatably mounted the turntable 11. My invention is not in any way concerned with the details of construction of the means for rotating the turn table l1 and I have consequently omitted illustration of the motor for driving the samet A disc record 12 is shown on the turn table.

I shall now describe the details of construction ot the means by which I can repeatedly reproduce a record substantially without interruption. A sleeve 13 having the flange 14 extended from the upper side thereotv is rotatably mounted in` the motor board and its lower end communicates with the amplifier 15 which may be of any suitable construction. A tubular member 16 is rotatably mounted in the sleeve 13 and is provided with a transversely extending head 17 which forms a horizontal bearing for the lower end of a second tubularmember 17 i the lower end of which is provided with a cylindrical transverse journal 18 which is rotatably mounted in the transverse bearing` 17 of the tubular member 16. The tubular member 1 7 comprises a horizontal extension 19 on which is rotatably mounted the horizontal portion 2O of the elbow 21. The vertical portion 22 of the elbow 21 eX- tends upwardly and is transversely enlarged to provide two spaced bearings for the vertically extending bearing portions 23 Vo ,t the tone arms 24 and 24', these tone arms being provided with ianges 25 bearing on the upper end of the elbow 21, A set screw 26 secured in the extension 19 of the tubular member 17 co-acts with the ends of a slot 27 4i'ormed inthe lower side of the horizontal portion 20 of the elbow 21 to limit the extent of rotation of the elbow around the horizontal extension 19.

.The tree ends of each ot' the tone arms 24 and 241 are provided withL reproducers-29 and 30, respectively, the needle supporting levers 3l and 32 of which are inclined in opposite directions in order to hold the needles in proper relation to the surface oit the record rifhe tone arms 2st and 2a are supported atsuch a distance above the record that in order to bring the needle of either reprodncer into contact with the record? it is necessary to tilt the elbow 2l on the horizontal extension 19 (see Figures 3 and At the same time this tilting movement litts the other reproducer from the record. ln

' both Figures 3 and o, the distance of the tone arms 'from the record and the degree ot tilting are considerably exaggerated for in actual practice when the needle ot one reproducer is in contact with the record, the needle of the other reproducer will be spaced trom the record only a small traction et an inch. lt will be noted troni an inspection ot Figure l that the angular relation between the two tone arms l and Q4 is srich that at the instant the needle of the receiver 8() is lifted out of contact with the end. of the sound groove and the record, the needle of the reproducer 29 is brought into contact with lhe beginning of the sound groove of the record. To malte the repeated reproduction of the record continuous it is necessari7 to provide means for alternately bringing the needles ot the two reproducers into contact with the beginning ot the sound groove. For this purpose l provide the lever which is pivoted to the top ot the tubular member 1T by means of a screw 3o so that the lever can rotate about a substantially vertical axis. A slot 37 is formed intermediate the ends of the lever and co-acts with a pin 38 secured to the upper portion orp the horizontal part ot the elbow 2l. The flange lll is provided at its rear side with a vertical stud 39. A tension spring e() connects the upper end ot the stud 39 and a pin l-l projecting -.trom the 'tree end ot the lever From the above description .it will be clear thatas long as the axis of the spring 40 lies upon the side of the pivot screw 36, shown in Figure l, this spring will tend to rotate the lever in a clockwise direction and will thus cause the elbow 2l to tilt so to hold the needle of the reproducer 29 in Contact with the record. As the record rotates, however, the reproducer will move toward the center ot the record., thereby causing` the lever Sti to move in a counter-clockwise direction and at the same time placing the spring l0 under slightly increased tension, The axis ot the spring 40 will also be movedin counter-clockwise direction until it passes over the center ot the pivot screw 36, whereupon the tension of the spring will operate to draw the lever 35 in a counter-clockwise direction and thus through. the pin and slot connection rotate the elbow Qlabout its horizontal axis in the proper direction to bring the needle of the reprbdncer 30 into contact with the record. lt will be clea that it the two tone arms 24 and 24 are properly spaced from each other, the needle ot the reproducer 30 will be brought into contact with the beginning ot the sound groove the record at the saine time that the needle the reproducer is lifted troni the end the soiind groove.

in ort er to adjust my improved repeatin. g mechanism to records ot varying dianieter,y provide ineans tor rotating 'iange l about the airis ot the sleeve i3, where 3y th., position or the stud 39 relative to the pivo, pin 5G can be varied so to vary the intei-vals between the tiltings oit the elbow and thereby compensating Yfor records in 'diameter lt l lh oi course be clear that when the needle ot the reproducer 29 has been li'n trom the record and the needle ot the repro ducer 550 has been brought into contact wita the beginning ot the record upon continued rotation et the record theI two tone arms will be movedin a counter-clockwise direction, thereby again placing the spring 40 under tension and moving it and the lever in a clocliv -se direction until a point is reached where the axis ot the spring lOfis moved past the center ot the pivot screw 36 in the opposite direction from that described above whereupon the elbow 2l will again be tilted aliout its horizontal airis but in the opposite direction, whereupon the needle oi the re- 'oducer will be brought into Contact h tl'ie beginning or the sound groove. action continues indelinitely as long as the record is rotated:y thereby making it possible to repeatedly reproduce the record with substantially no interruption between the separate reproductions.

For rotating the sleeve 'i3 and the flange i4: in order to vary the` position ot the stud r l provide the edge ot the liange with a 'i segment e5 which is adapted to mesh i the gear segment 46 carried by the lever ltr. which is pivoted to the motor board at rlhe lever l? is provided with a reverseA ly curved portion 49 for clearing the turn By adjusting the lever il? table shaft 50l about its pivot point 48 the angular position oit the stud 39 can be varied as desiredE The annular space occupied by the sound groove varies in width on diiiferent records. lt is, thereforel necessary to malte the tone arms 524; and adjustable angularly with respect to each other to compensate for these differences and to hold the tone erins in their adjusted position, It is also necessary tor Vthe proper operation of my ap paratus that in any of their adjusted positions, each tone arm shall be equally singularly displaced trom an imaginary line through the axis ot the horizontal extension 19 ot the tubular member 17.

l have previously described the bearing portions 23 ot the tone arms as being rotet.H

Sli

fil!

ltil') ably mounted in the upper end 22 of the elbow 2l, whereby the two tone arms can be adjusted angularly of each other. In order to insure the equal displacement of the tone arms relatively to the imaginary line referred to above, I provide the edges of the flanges with the inter-meshing gear segments 53 and -l. For securing the two tone arms in their adjusted position, I secure the slotted segments and 56 to the tone arms 2liand f3-l@ respectively. A thumb screw 57 may be used for securing these segments in their adjusted positions.

Py the proper operation of my repeating mechanism, it is necessary that the ends of the needles of the two reproducers shall engage with the record which describes arcs of equal length. Since the two needles are inclined inV opposite directions, this means that it is necessary to lengthen the tone arm. as shown in Figure 1. l can accomplish this same result with tone arms of equal length, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, by changing the angle of inclination of the needle lever 3i and providing it with a needle clamping means 60 which inclines in a direction opposite to thc inclination of the needle lever 3l (see Figure 8).

lllhile I have described the details of the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be clearly understood that my invention is not to be limited to these details, but is capable of other adaptations and modifications within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, it is to be clearly understood that wherever in the specilication and claims the words vertical, horizontal, clockwise, counter-clockwise and other words indicating direction are used, these terms are merely relative and are not used in their concrete sense.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. In a phonograph, the combination of a motor board, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said motor board and provided with an outwardly extending flange having a stud extending upwardly therefrom, a tubular member mounted on said sleeve to rotate about a vertical axis, a second tubular member communicating with said first-named tubular member and pivotally mounted thereon to rotate about a horizontal axis, said second tubular member having a horizontal. extension, an elbow having one end rotatably mounted on said horizontal extension, a pair of tone arms communicating with the other end of said elbow and pivotally mounted thereon to rotate about a vertical axis, the said tone arms being angularly adjustable relatively to each other, means for insuring an equal angular displacement of said tone arms with respect to the horizontal axis of said second tubular member, means for maintaining said tone arms in their adjusted position, a lever having one end pivotally mounted on said second tubular member to rotate about a vertical axis, a loose connection between-an intermediate portion of said leverl and said elbow, a spring connecting the free end of said lever and the upper end of said stud, and means for adjusting said sleeve about its axis.

2. In a phonograph, the combination of a motor board, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said motor board and provided with a stud extending upwardly therefrom, a tubular member mounted on said sleeve to rotate about a vertical. axis, a second tubular member communicating with said first-named tubular member and pivotally mounted thereon to rotate Aabout' a horizontal axis, said second tubular member having a horizontal extension, an elbow having one end rotatably mounted on said horizontal extension, a pair of tone arms communicating with the other end of said elbow and pivotally mounted thereon to rotate about a vertical axis, the said tone arms being angularly adjustable relatively to each other, means for maintaining said tone arms in their adjusted position, a lever having one end pivotally mounted on said second tubular member to rotate about a vertical axis, a loose connection between an intermediate portion of said lever and said elbow, a spring connecting the free end of said lever and the upper end of said stud, and means for adjusting said sleeve about its axis.

3. In a phonograph, the combination of a motor board, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said motor board and provided with a tubular member mounted on said sleeve to rotate about a vertical axis, a second tubular member communicating with said first-named tubular member and pivotally mounted thereon to rotate about a horizontal axis, said second tubular member having a horizontal extension, an elbow having one end rotatably mounted on said horizontal extension, a pair of tone arms communicating with the other end of said elbow and pivotally mounted thereon to rotate about a vertical axis, the said tone arms being-singularly adjustable relatively to each other, means for maintaining said tone arms in their adjusted position, means for alternately rotating said second tubular member on its horizontal axis iu opposite directions, and means for adjusting said last-named means.

et. In a phonograph, the combination with a pair of tone arms, of means for supporting said tone arms to rotate about parallel vertical axes, means whereby the angular displacement of said tone arms relative to each other can be adjusted and maintained, and means for automatically rotating said tone arms about a horizontal axis.

5. The combination with a record, of means for rotating said record, a pair of resaid s Y n- 'ement of one off sain reiiiroducers toward. the center of said recom, and irior to any inorenient of said .'eifrol icer away .troni said record, Y,tor littn 'l reproducer 'from said record and .he other reprodneer in Contact With combination with a record, o1 means rotating' said recordE a pair oi r lorofilucers. and spring' means energized hv the niov'erneijit oi: one of said reproducers `lor instantaneonslj.7 lifting' said last-named reproducer troni sad record and lowering the other reproducer into contact With said record.

"i". The combination with a record, of means for rotating' said record, a pair ot reproducers, and springmeans for lifting; one oi" said reproducers 'from said record and lowering the other 'a'eproducer into Contact with said record.

8. The combination with a record. of means 'for rotating said recorch a pair of reproducei's.) and means energized b v said rotatin means for instantaneously hitting one oic said reproducers from the end o? the record groove and sulostantialli7 siniultaneousl)vv en'Mt ging the other reproducer with the loeg'inningj of said record groove. Y

9. phonograph comprising a pair of reproducers, means for supporting said reproducers in spaced relation, means for adjusting the spacing or' said reproducers,

Viis Yfor causing said reproducers to giving ut a` common axis in traversing a recora, I

@enig substantially perpendicular ot travel of said reproducers to f bring said regroducers into convitn the beginning oi a record. L phonograph comprising a pair ot iodncers., ineens 'for supporting said relncers in spaced. relation, and means for one or said reproducers troni the end record e'rooe and substantially siiusljv enI ring' the other reprodncer he lixeo'iniiing oit said record groot/e pring tensioned by the in reprodncers3 and adjustable for determining when said spring' is to am to chain-je the position of saidv rer/rodimers.

ll. A phonograph comprising a pair of renroalucers adapted alternately to he brought into engagement with the record `rooie o5 a record. a spring' energized by the movement or' one ott said reproducers :for suiioimiticslljv lifting' said reproducer from the record when the reproducer has i'eaehed the end of the record and substantially simultaneously bringing` the other reproducer into engagement With the heginni out the record `groove.

witness whereof, l hereunto subscribe nn.' naine this 28th day of `Aprils 1920.

FRANK T. SVVEIGART.

lli/'i tnesses EDNA V. GUsTArsoN, JULiA V. 

